Dragon Ball Z: Budokai makes a good transition of the show to a fighting game, but could have used some improvements.
User Rating: 7.5 | Dragon Ball Z: Budokai PS2
If you are a fan of Dragon Ball Z, this game will be twice as good. I never really watched the TV show, only a few episodes, so I was basically clueless when it came to the story. This game had a story mode, which skipped around to all the battles basically, which is a good thing for fans, but I did feel a little lost at times in the story. All and all, it's a standard 3D Fighting game when you look at it. It has combos, counter attacks, and the famous life bar. One thing I like that this game does that I haven't seen in any other games, is a multi-layered life bar. It gives the player or opponent a chance to fight back, and it makes the fights last longer, which can make them more epic at times. The story mode was made up with cut scenes that led into battles. For the most part, it was standard 3D fights with enemies, but sometimes they make it different. For example, your health could be degenerating due to a "viral heart disease", you could be facing seven mini-cells instead of Cell, or you could be down a layer of health while your opponent has all three (which I didn't like when they did that.) To conclude, I had fun playing this game. I completed the story mode in about two hours, which is kind of short, but rewarding for fans. It also has a tournament mode, and customization features, so this game can last longer if you want it to. I think the story mode could have been a little longer and better told, and the actual game play could have been a little less basic. Either way, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai is a good game worth playing.
